Category: Saturday Sports Slam

Hall of Fame Beaver County Radio Play by Play Announcer Tom Hays Calls it a Career After 40 Years

Story by Beaver County Radio Program Director/News Director Frank Sparks

(Beaver Falls, Pa.) Longtime Beaver County Radio Play by Play Announcer Tom Hays is calling it a career after 40 years announcing games for Beaver County Radio in one form or another.

Hays started his career in broadcasting for WMBA in Ambridge in 1981 and made the move to WBVP and then Kiss 107.9 in 1987.  In 2000 WMBA was purchased by then owner of WBVP Frank Iorio. Hays  would call color commentary for Bob Barrickman in those days. In 2012 play by play man Jim Fredrick retired and Tom took over as play by play announcer for WMBA broadcasts. Tom could also be heard on WBVP broadcasts and since its inception in August of 2019 on 99.3 FM.  Tom joined his good friend and fellow broadcaster Bob Barrickman in the  was inducted Beaver County Sports Hall of Fame being inducted in the spring of 2019.

Bob Barrickman and Tom Hays WBVP-WMBA
Bob Barrickman and Tom Hays

Current Beaver County Radio Owner and Station Manager Mark Peterson said “It’s easy to own and operate a station when you’ve had quality people like Tom Hays as part of the team” Peterson said “Tom’s talents behind the microphone will be missed by the listeners of Beaver County Radio”

Program Director Frank Sparks who cut his teeth at Beaver County Radio producing games for Hays said “I had a mojo from the beginning with Tom and we became lifetime friends and I will miss working with Tom. Not many can say they were able to work with a hall of fame broadcaster especially the caliber of a man like Tom Hays. ”

Sports Director and longtime friend Bob Barrickman said “Tom is a tremendous broadcaster. Take his hall of Fame career and multiply that by ten and that is the type of person that Tom Hays is.” Barrickman went on to say that he couldn’t believe that Tom was able to produce at the high level he has despite his health issues. “That just goes to prove the true professional and class act that Tom is.”

We at Beaver County Radio will miss Tom Hay’s and appreciate all that he has done to make Beaver County Radio a success over the last 40 years!!!  He will be deeply missed by us all and we wish him well in the future.

 

You can listen to Tom’s interview Wednesday on Teleforum announcing his retirement by pressing the play button below:

 

Michigan cancels Ohio State showdown, citing COVID-19 cases

Michigan cancels Ohio State showdown, citing COVID-19 cases
By LARRY LAGE and MITCH STACY AP Sports Writers
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Michigan has canceled its annual rivalry game at Ohio State because of the COVID-19 outbreak within the Wolverines football program. Michigan says the decision was made after discussions with medical professionals. The third-ranked Buckeyes played through what coach Ryan Day called a mini outbreak last week in a 52-12 win at Michigan State as he watched from home because of a positive test. Michigan and Ohio State have played each other every year since 1918.

Pirates agree to deals with Taillon, Gonzalez and Feliz

Pirates agree to deals with Taillon, Gonzalez and Feliz
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates have agreed to one-year deals with pitchers Jameson Taillon and Michael Feliz as well as shortstop Erik Gonzalez. The contracts mean the Pirates will avoid arbitration with all three players. Taillion gets $2.25 million, Feliz $1 million and Gonzalez $1,225,000. Taillon, a former first-round draft pick, is expected to return in 2021 after missing most of the last two years following Tommy John surgery. Feliz pitched in just three games during the abbreviated 2020 season due to a forearm injury. Gonzalez faded after a hot start but drove in a career-high 20 runs last season.

Steelers add C Pouncey to COVID-19 list against Ravens

Steelers add C Pouncey to COVID-19 list against Ravens
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens are scheduled to play on Wednesday afternoon even as COVID-19 continues to infect players up and down their respective rosters. The Steelers will be without perennial Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey, who was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on just hours before kickoff. Pouncey is the fourth Pittsburgh player to join the list in the past week. The Ravens will be without more than a dozen players, including quarterback Lamar Jackson and running backs J.K. Dobbins and Mark Ingram. The game has been delayed three times because of a COVID-19 outbreak in Baltimore.

No. 4 Clemson, QB Lawrence throttle Pittsburgh 52-17

No. 4 Clemson, QB Lawrence throttle Pittsburgh 52-17
By PETE IACOBELLI AP Sports Writer
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Trevor Lawrence threw for 403 yards and two touchdowns in his first game in five weeks and No. 4 Clemson throttled Pittsburgh 52-17. Lawrence finished 26-of-37 passing in what’s expected to be his last college game at home. Lawrence went to the sidelines early in the fourth quarter with Clemson up 28 points. Lawrence last played Oct. 24 in a win over Syracuse. He tested positive for the coronavirus the next week and missed two games, including the Tigers’ only loss this season at No. 2 Notre Dame.

Ravens-Steelers game moved from Thursday night to Sunday

Ravens-Steelers game moved from Thursday night to Sunday
By The Associated Press undefined
The Thanksgiving night game between the Ravens and Steelers has been switched to Sunday because of coronavirus issues with Baltimore. The NFL announced the move Wednesday, but did not specify a time of game nor which network would televise it. Previously, it was scheduled for NBC’s prime-time telecast. Baltimore placed outside linebacker Pernell McPhee on the reserve/COVID-19 list, joining running backs Mark Ingram and J.K. Dobbins and defensive tackle Brandon Williams. The Ravens also have been doing team work virtually.

2020 features 1st NFL season in 9 years with 0-10, 10-0 team

2020 features 1st NFL season in 9 years with 0-10, 10-0 team
By JOSH DUBOW AP Pro Football Writer
Winning or losing 10 straight games to open the season is a relatively rare occurrence. A season in which teams have done both has happened only a handful of times before the Pittsburgh Steelers won their first 10 games and the New York Jets lost their first 10 this season. This is just the sixth season in the Super Bowl era to feature both a 10-0 team and 0-10 team, and first time it has happened since 2011. That year, the Packers went 15-1 before losing their first playoff game, while the Colts finished 2-14.

Williams and Ozuna Designated for Assignment

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates have designated pitcher Trevor Williams and utility player José Osuna for assignment. The team made the moves to create room on the 40-man roster for infield prospect Rodolfo Castro and starting pitching prospect Max Kranick. The 28-year-old Williams spent five seasons with the Pirates, the last four as a member of the starting rotation. Williams went 31-37 with a 4.43 ERA in 106 career appearances in Pittsburgh but struggled in each of the last two seasons. Osuna hit .241 in four seasons with the Pirates while bouncing around defensively.

Link for Central Valley vs. Bedford on 1460 WMBA and Trib-Live Network

(File Photo)

 

 

1460 WMBA’s Tom Hays Bruce Frey have the call from Mansion Park in Altoona of this 2020 PIAA Class 3A Semifinals high school football state playoff game as the WPIAL champion Warriors battle the District 5 champion Bisons. The action gets under way at 6:30 with the pre-game and kick-off is set for 7 PM

If you can’t listen to the game on the air and want to hear it via the Trib-Live High School Sports Network click the link below. The stream doesn’t start til the pre-game: